Hat blocking and stretching machine



Nov. 28, 1944.

Filed May 14, 1940 -l I I l I l l l I l llllll-lllllllllllllll L. MELTZER HAT BLOCKING AND 'STRETCHING MACHINE 2- Sheets-Sheet. l

24 i mum a 1 1.

I i Z6 INVENTOR [00/5/1452 72! ATTORNEY Nov. 28, 1944 7 L. MELTZER HAT BLOCKING AND STRETCHING MACHINE 'Filed May 14, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w I l 1 l 35 1 I 7 H INVENTOR 10 5 MHTZEE 1 ATTORNEY ing on the body ofthe headsize line and Patented Nov. 28. 1944 I I 2,363,982 HAT BLooKmGANnsTaE'ronmG MACHIN Louis Meltzer, New Y ork, N. Ap lic tion May 14, u seat N 335,031 7 1 Claim. (or. 22s" 15) :f This invention relates w hat blocking machines in which all of the stretching and blocking operations on the hat body, are performed by instrumehtalities thereof. I .The blockingof hats, as at present performed,

is an arduous and tiring operation. Even with a powered blockingmachine, operators, in teams of two, are necessary to carry out the desired operations. Pre-stretching, entirely by hand, must be done before ahat body isplaced in :a blocking machine and after the bodyis clamped between the blocks, manual pull on the brim support and the gripper-s operated as by a hand lever orfoot pedal, These latter parts are not illustrated, and may comprise, together with the bowl and grippers, a machine known as the Marvin Blocker.

In the instant case, the'bowl serves to mount a bracket I2- having a goose-neck portion I3 thereof, by both. operators, is a necessaryv func- 3 tion.

' Attempts have been-made to provide machine having brim gripping means' to;= impart i stretch to the hat body during theblocking oper- I ation, but these have been faulty in that the blocks had no compensating movement so that the stretch, instead of being imparted to the entire hat. body, was confined to certain points thereof to cause tears, and rips in the body. 1

. Recognizing the above faults, the present invention seeks to provide a machine in whicha hat body may first be stretched, to obviate handv labor, and then, while in stretched condition, to be blocked with block means having compensat ing movement so that the body isuniformly stretchedtoobviate rips therein.

The invention also contemplates a particular association between the brim-gripping or clamping means and the blocks so that definite markthe finished brim size line, is had.

The invention also incorporates novel features brim rings, mounts of design of crown block, therefor, etc.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention may be more clearly evident from the following detailed disclosure which has basis on the drawings typifying forms of the invention as at present conceived.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly'invertical section; of a machine incorporating features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the operating parts of an alternate form of the invention.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5- illustrate in semi-diagrammatic manner the stages of operation of the form of the machine shown in Fig. 2. s

In that embodiment of the invention which is depicted in Fig. 1, a bowl I is equipped with a plurality of brim grippers ll circularly arranged therein. The bowl is suitably mounted on a which is vertically bored along the axis, of the bowl for, movement therethrough ofa stem M,

the latter removablvmounting an adapter l which carries'a brim ring l6..

' The stem I4 may be moved up or down as by I meansof a handle I! fixed with a pinion l8 having engagement with arack l9 carriedlby the stem. Thus, the brim ring l6 may be-moved in a direction towards and away from the bowl [0.

. vThis' movement of the stem, and thus of the brim ring, may be limited assby means of a col lar which may be clamped "to'said stem to providedfo I I tion. 5

form an abutment against the bracket portion l3 to limit the downward'movement of the stem. Springerv other counterweight means may be raising the stem from its low posi- When the brim ring is'in its low operating posi-, tion as willbe hereinafter described, and in order to obviate holding it in that position by continued grasp on the. handle II, a .dog 2| pivotally carried by t e collar 20 has hooking engagement with a lug 22 formed on the bracket portion l3 to hold the stem depressed against the counterweighting means. Means such as the spring 23 may be employed for holding the dog in hooking position untilreleased by a push on the tail 24 thereof.

The 'machine is'provided with a replaceable crown block 25 which is mounted upon a tubular member 26 arranged for vertical sliding movewoard movement against the force of the spring 3 Normally, the spring 30 urges the block 25 to a position above the grippers l I but not in interfering relation to a hat body being stretched by said grippers. But when the brim ring is moved down to engage said bodybetween the block and itself, the conical condition of the body is changed to an inverted conical condition as clearly shown in the drawings.

j I zw When a hat body is to be blocked, the brim ring is raised by unlatching the dog 2| and a body placed into the machine by clamping the brim thereof in .the grippers I l. The grippers are then moved outwardly to stretch the body, steam being supplied to the interior of the bowl H), as for instance, through the pipe 3| and the openings 32 in the tube 26. When the body has been sufiiciently stretched, the handle 1'! is manipulated to depress the brim ring I6 which presses the body firmly and closely about the block 25 which is simultaneously depressed against the force of the spring 30.

It will be noted that,

ther is no actual clamping of the body'betw'eenij the brim ring and the crown block until the last portion of said downward movement of the parts. Thus, the possibility of tearing the hat body is minimized since its stretch is not confinedat any particular point. When the collar 20 strikes the bracket l3, the downward movement ceases and theoperators grasp on the handle I! may be released because of the latching of the dog 2| with the lug '22; During this condition, steam may be supplied to the block passages 33 through the pipe 3| and the parts held in blocking condition for a suitable length 'of time. Pressure in the dog tail24 will release the' 'brim ring for upward movement -'so the blocked ha't may 'be' removed.

-In its blocking position, the inner, lower edge of the brim rim 34 definitely marks the head'silz'e line of the hat and the outer, lower edge 35 thereof marks the finished brim line to guide the cutting away of the excess material of the body. In the form shown 'in Fig. 1, the crown is plunged from the top, "the reverse may be (true, also. The crown may be plunged from the bottom by a mere reversal of the spring mount 30 and the plunger stem M. In the latter case hydraulic pumping means operable by means of a foot pedal-may be used for forcing the bottom block against the top block which may be re'-' siliently mounted. This would give exactly the same blocking results. 7

As shown in Fig. 2, the crown block may be carried by thestem l4 and the brim ring lfia by the tube -32. In order to initially position the brim ring with respec't'to the gri 'apersl t, it i's preferred to mount said ring in an adapter 36 which is supported on the tube 32. The position of the finished brim line, in this instance, is marked .by'the edge of 'a brim portion 35a on the crown "block.

At the present time, there is not'available a blocking machine in which all of the necessary blocking steps may be performed by the machine. These machines require either initial hand stretching, intermediate steamingv over a separate block, etc. In the manner herein disclosed, a machine is "provided wherein all of the neces- "Blocking operations may be performed to prov-mew block-ed hat which is ready for trimming of the brim thereof. The machine incorporates s'tretchin'gmeans for the hat body, blocking means of"gre'at flexibility, and-heating or steaming means for the body parts being blocked.

M From the fo-regoi-ng it is evident that a machine has been provided whereby o'ne operator may miss-1 without undue muscular eflort, block a hat, perf'oi-rni'ng all the necessary opera ti'oii oil-the machine. It is also apparent that the concepts "of the invention may be realized in structures varying from those disclosed herein without departing from thespirit and scope of he invention as claimed.

-Ic1 2'" i l In a. hat meanin machifie, in combination, means roi- "clamping. the brim of a hat body and. stretching the same, a brim ring movable into contact with the stretched hat body, a crown block, and resilient mea-n's supporting said crown block whereby the hat body is engaged between.

said ring and 'saidblo'ck, said block being movabie' 'by said ring to 'a position but of line with said clamping means to cause a crease to be formed in said hat body at the outer peripheral edge of said block.

LOUIS MELTZER. 

